In the year 1147the King ofCastileand LeonAlfonsoVIItooktheimportantMuslimFortress of Calatrava,inCarrion deCalatravaabout 8km near fromCiudad Real, whom was the most important center ofthe area. Defended since this year by theTemplar Knights , and when after a short time they leave tha fortress that’s whenthe Military Order ofCalatrava replaced them,
After two raidsbyLa Manchaand Andalusia by the ArchbishopofToledoMartin Lópezde Pisuergaand howdefense theAlmohadCaliphAbuYusufYacubAlmansur(Yusuf II) Strikesandfrom SevilleviaCordobais headingtoToledo, meanwhile ToledoKingof CastileAlfonsoVIII, preparedan armyto marchsouthto meet them.In thehalfway,theJuly 19th, 1195, there was a decisive battle between the twocontending forces.

The army of the Caliph Al-Mansur Yusuf was composed by Andalusian volunteers Almohad Benimerines and muslin nobility. Their number is estimated at 30,000

The army of King Alfonso VIII, was composed of Toledo Knights of the Knights of the Military Orders of Calatrava and Santiago the Knights of the Military Order of Evora in Portugal with its Field Marshalls. Their number is estimated at 10,000 to which should be added as many laborers and servants (Sergeants, Squires, pages) and Impedimenta train with several hundred people, including children, cooks..

The remains of the Alarcos Castle in Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha. Spain

The Initial position of both armies before the began of the battle .

The core of the Muslim army was its light cavalry archers

The core of the Christian army was its heavy cavalry with armored Kights and horses.

The Almohads have incorporated two important tactical advances: The crossbow and the Militia formed by all able men, giving them numerical superiority over the Christian armies of the Iberian Peninsula, which were composed of mercenaries and military professionals such how the military orders and the Knights, but they were very few in number compared.

At firstthe Castiliancavalrycommanded by the Senescalof CastileDonDiegoLópez deHaro, charged downhillagainst the Musliminfantry,whom was in theplain,destroying itand almostdestroying them, causing great lossesto the Muslims, but these, after a movementBallesterosandtheirdeparturefromtheir hideouts incaves inthe hillsaroundAlarcos, Muslimforces thathadnot hadthe Spaniards, began a violentcounterattack.

After envolvetheMuslimlightcavalry the Christian heavy cavalry , in apincermaneuver, according to the chronicles, bycomplete surprise, the Turkishhorse archers, causedhavoc inthe Spanishcavalry, as these horses andtheirarmedcaughtbetween the hilland the river, they could not literallymove ormaneuver andwere“hunted” andshot with arrows, untila few couldgo back andget to the castletoo late toregroupand counterattack, because the Muslims hadalsosurroundedthe camp sincethenearby hillto the right ofAlarcosandthreatened tosurround themcompletelyand not letescape intoToledo.

King Alfonso VIII galloped toward the Malagon castle taking the path of Villadiego and the next day ran to Toledo, leaving the command to Senescal of Castile, Don Diego López de Haro, who fled with his troops in 5000 Alarcos Castle, to save, had to deliver 12 Knights hostage Almohades sign that pay the ransom set by Al-Mansur. Prisoners knights went to the dungeons of the castle of Calatrava, today Calatrava La Vieja, in the village of Carrión de Calatrava.

In the battle they were captured 3,000 prisoners who were released, after agreeing to a rescue, and allow the withdrawal of Spanish troops.

It was a major defeat for Christians, suffering many casualties by poor strategy and wise Alfonso VIII trap of Almohades.

For the Calatrava Knights his first battle was a great slaughter, perished in combat covering the retreat of their King several number of their knights, since this day and they changed their Black Cross by a Red Cross, for the bloodshed.Among the Spaniards who died in battle Bishops of Avila, Segovia and Sigüenza, Ordoño García de Roda, Pedro Ruíz de Guzman and Rodrigo Sánchez; as well as both Marshalls of the Order of Santiago, Sancho Fernández de Lemus, an the Portuguese Order of Évora, Gonçalo Viegas. The Marshall of Calatrava Nuño Pérez de Quinones escaped.

The losses were also heavy for the Almohads. Not only the Vizir, but also the head of the Benimerín.

Some bodies of Christians and their horses were buried by the Almohad conquerors into a mass grave down the wall.

With this defeatthe advance to Andalusia was delayedandwasavengedwiththe victory of theBattle of Las Navas de Tolosain 1212.Curiously,theGiraldatower in Seville Cathedral, a mosque in the year 1195, was completed withthe spoil earned in the Alarcos battle by theAlmohad CaliphYusufII.